Silat, Rakshas and the Tapasa like we've never seen them before. We explore Ep 339 armed with a partial translation from Aazealh and Puella.

What's ahead for Rickert and the Bakiraka? Reeeeeeeeematch

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I thought Aaz came up with a fantastic idea when he mentioned the Moonlight Boy might make an appearance but not actively help the escape. Taking that general idea and running with it, I'd be over the moon if, after Rickert and his group flee Falconia and before Berserk switches back to Guts, we were given a glimpse of the Moonlight Boy returning to Griffith. As the gang flies into the distance we see a faint shooting star fall towards the castle, and the last panel is of Griffith staring off into the distance (apathetically, of course) from a balcony. The amount of joy I'd get from that happening would turn me into a lunatic.

I might be shooting the moon here, but I don't think the fact this escape is happening during or right before the Moonlight Boy left Guts and crew is a coincidence.

I wonder if possibly the story will transition into Guts arriving at Elfhelm during a full moon after the events with Rakshas, Silat, and Rickert wrap up. Maybe we'll see the moonlight boy taking off to go see his parents. I mean, it would make sense for him to want to be there to see his mother regain her memories/mind. Plus the full moon enhances magical effects, so wouldn't it also be the best time to perform whatever ritual, etc that needs to occur for Casca to regain her memories?

Or It could transition to a few days before a full moon to show the events of Guts landing on Elfhelm and introductions and whatever else Miura has planned before a full moon ritual. Also Schierke said in episode 331 that she believes the Moonlight boy might be the avatar of the king of the flower storm. Could be a nod at the two of them showing up at the same place and possibly the king of the flower storm explaining to everyone who and what the Moonlight boy is, or at least some idea of what he is. And further that could play into the whole "What Guts desires may not be what Casca desires" thing as she would probably feel very conflicted about taking down Griffith if their child is tethered to him.

I also think the full moon might lend credence to the idea that Griffith didn't give the order to assassinate Rickert since it's possible Rakshas only feels he can do this during the full moon when Griffith is otherwise preoccupied (assuming they do in face share a body). Rakshas even mentions that he will return if the moon is out and we see him next silhouetted under the light of the full moon. And I don't think its too unreasonable that Rakshas would know about the moonlight boy seeing as Zodd also knows, given that silhouette back in 238. Not to mention Rakshas has been shown to sneak around to witness important events by clinging to Zodds wing in 302.

Great podcast guys! I'm one to think that these last episodes with Rickert were indeed some kind of a "meanwhile" while Guts and friend are sailing. To the point that when the moon is full, it could indeed coincide with the Moonlight boy coming back to Falconia with the means of the the spiral tree. Now, like you guys said, I'm not sure he would intervine in that fight but we could see him at some point. Can't wait to see the next one!

A good sword, even if it rusts and dulls, has good steel that never rusts left over in the wick. That steel's the ultimate steel. Even if it cracks, if you return it to the fire, it's sure to be reborn. - Godot

I'd be over the moon if, after Rickert and his group flee Falconia and before Berserk switches back to Guts, we were given a glimpse of the Moonlight Boy returning to Griffith. As the gang flies into the distance we see a faint shooting star fall towards the castle, and the last panel is of Griffith staring off into the distance (apathetically, of course) from a balcony.

I think there's a bit of a timeline discrepancy here. The boy appeared to Guts and Casca on the island somewhere at the beginning of the night of the full moon, then disappeared some time in the middle of the night. Are you saying that it's possible that Griffith went from saying goodbye to Rickert to becoming the boy and visiting Guts and Casca throughout the Sea God climax, and then back to Falconia, appearing back sometime as Rickert and Silat are escaping the city? I mean, I guess it could work. It just sounds pretty convoluted to me.

Maybe we'll see the moonlight boy taking off to go see his parents. I mean, it would make sense for him to want to be there to see his mother regain her memories/mind. Plus the full moon enhances magical effects, so wouldn't it also be the best time to perform whatever ritual, etc that needs to occur for Casca to regain her memories?

That presumes that her restoration is going to happen immediately. I expect we'll have quite a bit of build up before they meet with the Elf King and he agrees to everything.

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Also Schierke said in episode 331 that she believes the Moonlight boy might be the avatar of the king of the flower storm. Could be a nod at the two of them showing up at the same place and possibly the king of the flower storm explaining to everyone who and what the Moonlight boy is, or at least some idea of what he is.

I'm not sure I follow your reasoning here. Schierke was incorrect in her assumption that the boy and the king were the same being. We can piece that together pretty easily.

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And further that could play into the whole "What Guts desires may not be what Casca desires" thing as she would probably feel very conflicted about taking down Griffith if their child is tethered to him.

I think that's giving Guts too little credit. He's not going to be pleased about slicing through his son, either. I can't even envision a scene where Guts is pleading with Casca, trying to convince her to help them murder their son for the sake of his revenge. It sounds unnatural. I don't think that's how it's going to go down.

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I also think the full moon might lend credence to the idea that Griffith didn't give the order to assassinate Rickert since it's possible Rakshas only feels he can do this during the full moon when Griffith is otherwise preoccupied (assuming they do in face share a body). Rakshas even mentions that he will return if the moon is out and we see him next silhouetted under the light of the full moon. And I don't think its too unreasonable that Rakshas would know about the moonlight boy seeing as Zodd also knows, given that silhouette back in 238.

Yeah, but we've known since even before Femto was incarnated in flesh that he and Zodd had a somewhat special relationship. For it to be Zodd to ferry him around as the boy makes sense, in that regard. I sincerely doubt all apostles know of this side of him.

I'm not sure I follow your reasoning here. Schierke was incorrect in her assumption that the boy and the king were the same being. We can piece that together pretty easily.

Oh, that's not really what I meant. I know she was wrong.. that's kind of obvious lol. But she still holds that belief currently, and I thought it might be interesting for her to speak with the king of the flower storm about it, only for the moonlight boy to show up in the same room and basically show her they're not the same entity. There's really no basis for it, just an amusing thought I had. I probably shouldn't have confused my post with it though.

Yeah, but we've known since even before Femto was incarnated in flesh that he and Zodd had a somewhat special relationship. For it to be Zodd to ferry him around as the boy makes sense, in that regard. I sincerely doubt all apostles know of this side of him.

I doubt all do either, or even anyone else besides Zodd and possibly Rakshas. But Rakshas is also a bit of a peculiarity considering how he was shown to hitch onto Zodd in order to witness an extremely significant event. That's not something any of the other apostles were there to witness, which kind of constitutes a special relationship. He also told Griffith one day he would take his head. Now, I don't think he meant that in earnest, but it does indicate that Rakshas has a different sort of fascination with Griffith than the rest of the apostles. So it's not implausible that this super sneaky apostle has also discovered this other secret that happens with each full moon, possibly every 30 days if lunar cycles are based on how it works for our world, which is admittedly a bit of an assumption. But you dont think he's curious where this Godhand likes to go off to on full moons, a day in which magic is shown to have greater effect? And if anyone has the ability to investigate it, it'd be Rakshas.

I'm not saying the moonlight boy's gonna start dawning some creepy Rakshas cloak when he rides Zodd or anything, but I just thinks its reasonably possible that this master assassin who seems to be the epitome of a spy, given his whole faceless formless form and sneaky nature, might have discovered the secret.

I think there's a bit of a timeline discrepancy here. The boy appeared to Guts and Casca on the island somewhere at the beginning of the night of the full moon, then disappeared some time in the middle of the night. Are you saying that it's possible that Griffith went from saying goodbye to Rickert to becoming the boy and visiting Guts and Casca throughout the Sea God climax, and then back to Falconia, appearing back sometime as Rickert and Silat are escaping the city? I mean, I guess it could work. It just sounds pretty convoluted to me.

Yeah, youíre right. I got mixed up with the time zones. If anything the Moonlight Boy hasnít even left yet. But I didnít mean for it to seem like I was trying to put forward sincere speculation or anything. I donít care if heís coming or going or if itís Griffith talking to his reflection in a mirror. I was just expressing my desire that, before the story switches back to Guts and crew, we get some further elaboration on the boyís relationship with Griffith. In my opinion itíd be a great way to end this part of the Falconia plotline if the boy and Griffith do in fact have such a relationship.

I thought it might be interesting for her to speak with the king of the flower storm about it, only for the moonlight boy to show up in the same room and basically show her they're not the same entity. There's really no basis for it, just an amusing thought I had. I probably shouldn't have confused my post with it though.

Ah, I see. That's more or less what I expect to happen. Or he just outright denies it when Schierke asks him, and the group is left wondering for a while until we confirm, or he explains who the child is. But I like your version better than that

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But you dont think he's curious where this Godhand likes to go off to on full moons, a day in which magic is shown to have greater effect? And if anyone has the ability to investigate it, it'd be Rakshas.

I do think he'd be curious, if he were to notice something amiss about Griffith during full moons. But I just took it from your initial post that you thought apostles knew about Griffith's err, condition, merely because they were apostles. What little we have seen of that relationship seems implied to be secretive.

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I was just expressing my desire that, before the story switches back to Guts and crew, we get some further elaboration on the boyís relationship with Griffith.

Sure, I guess I'm just the odd one out in expecting that to happen now.

I'd be over the moon if, after Rickert and his group flee Falconia and before Berserk switches back to Guts, we were given a glimpse of the Moonlight Boy returning to Griffith. As the gang flies into the distance we see a faint shooting star fall towards the castle, and the last panel is of Griffith staring off into the distance (apathetically, of course) from a balcony.

That brings up an interesting point regarding how the whole Griffith to Boy thing works. Personally I favor the idea that he physically transforms, as opposed to what you mentioned here. What's beyond doubt however as far as I'm concerned is that the two of them are related (in response to your latest post). As for the timing of the night and the boy coming or going, I don't think it matters too much given that we don't know exactly how much time has passed. If it is indeed the same night (which nothing guarantees), the boy could have yet to go, be already gone, or be about to come back. Or it could be a different night and the boy could appear independently of all that.

I wonder if possibly the story will transition into Guts arriving at Elfhelm during a full moon after the events with Rakshas, Silat, and Rickert wrap up. Maybe we'll see the moonlight boy taking off to go see his parents. I mean, it would make sense for him to want to be there to see his mother regain her memories/mind. Plus the full moon enhances magical effects, so wouldn't it also be the best time to perform whatever ritual, etc that needs to occur for Casca to regain her memories?

That makes sense but I think it's precipitating things a bit. Like Walter, I expect it will take some time before Casca is restored. We wouldn't want to skip past the discovery of Skellig and Elfhelm, wouldn't we?

Could be a nod at the two of them showing up at the same place and possibly the king of the flower storm explaining to everyone who and what the Moonlight boy is, or at least some idea of what he is. And further that could play into the whole "What Guts desires may not be what Casca desires" thing as she would probably feel very conflicted about taking down Griffith if their child is tethered to him.

Yeah, it'll be interesting to see what the king has to say about it (and about everything else too ). I wonder if he'll be the one breaking the news though... Exciting times we're living! As for Casca, of course she wouldn't want her son to die, but I expect that neither will Guts.

I also think the full moon might lend credence to the idea that Griffith didn't give the order to assassinate Rickert since it's possible Rakshas only feels he can do this during the full moon when Griffith is otherwise preoccupied (assuming they do in face share a body).

But Rakshas first came for Rickert at dusk, so that invalidates that whole reasoning.

I dont know so much about the moonlight boy thing as you guys do, but it could be a great reveal for the series, for it to happen now.

Sooooo much to be excited for in the coming release!! Will you guys be doing re-reads again soon? I know Walter (or was it Aazeal?) who said they were like homework but i wanted to say that they're very educational for me.